The gates on both sides of the Soul Fighting Platform opened at the same time.
On the left, Su Mo wore a dark combat outfit and carried a longsword on his back. Under the barrier's light, the blade's dark-red sheen glimmered with an eerie bloody radiance.
On the right, Xiao Wu wore a pink battle dress, her scorpion braid swaying lightly behind her as she held a pink longsword.
After deciding to take Xiao Wu in, Su Mo had made her give up using Soft Skills, at least when facing men. What kind of fighting was wrapping her body around an enemy?
In any case, Su Mo did not allow it.
So Su Mo had taught Xiao Wu quite a few of his sword techniques.
Xiao Wu's fighting style was now similar to his, relying on elusive Teleportation and sword techniques.
"May the two Soul Saints please release your Martial Souls!"
Seeing Su Mo and Xiao Wu step out, the host hurriedly continued.
"They're really young!"
"Looks like it wasn't a lie!"
"I just wonder whether they really are Soul Saints..."
"What's the rush? We'll see soon enough..."
"..."
The spectators in the central area, as well as those watching the broadcast from the partitioned sections, all began discussing heatedly.
Everyone waited for the moment Su Mo and Xiao Wu released their Martial Souls and Soul Rings.
Only after seeing it with their own eyes would they truly believe that these two young people were Soul Saints.
Su Mo and Xiao Wu, standing on the arena, did not keep them waiting long.
After exchanging smiles, the two simultaneously released their Martial Souls and Soul Rings.
Buzz—
Buzz—
Soul Rings emerged around Su Mo one by one: one yellow and six black. As for his Martial Soul, it silently merged into the fine longsword in his hand.
No one noticed the Soul Weapon Fusion. Everyone's attention was drawn to Su Mo's Soul Rings.
Of course, there were also Xiao Wu's Soul Rings: the optimal configuration of two yellow, two purple, and three black.
The moment they saw Su Mo and Xiao Wu's Soul Rings, the entire venue exploded.
"It's real!"
"They really are Soul Saints!"
"Good heavens... one yellow and six black! Did you see that? That man's Second Soul Ring is black! Ten thousand years! A ten-thousand-year Second Soul Ring!"
"A monster! He's definitely a fucking monster!"
"I'm going insane... this is the first time in my life I've seen someone with six black Soul Rings..."
"Senior, you've seen much more than we have. Is... is this normal?"
"I personally witnessed the Pope's coronation in Spirit City back then. Even seeing eight Titled Douluo reveal their Soul Rings at once did not shock me this much... a ten-thousand-year Second Soul Ring? This defies every known theory on Soul Ring absorption limits!"
The host retreated to the edge of the barrier, his raised arm frozen in midair. He took a deep breath, then brought it down with all his strength.
"The match... begins!"
At the exact instant his words fell, Su Mo and Xiao Wu vanished from where they stood.
There was no warning and no trace of movement.
Xiao Wu appeared out of thin air thirty meters east of the Soul Fighting Platform, while Su Mo appeared ten meters behind where she had just stood.
"What happened?!"
"I didn't see it..."
"Teleportation! They both used Teleportation!"
The stands erupted like a pot of boiling water.
Teleportation! This rare Soul Skill, heard of only in legends, had appeared twice in this Soul Fight! And it was not just one person who possessed it—both of them did!
Clang! Clang! Clang—
Their figures flashed all over the arena, colliding here one moment and trading blows there the next as the sounds of swords striking rang out without end.
Su Mo and Xiao Wu's battle did not feature any flashy, powerful Soul Skills, but its unpredictability made for a uniquely thrilling spectacle.
The stands fell utterly silent.
No one spoke. No one cheered. Everyone simply sat with mouths open and eyes wide, staring blankly at the battle onstage, one completely beyond the scope of their understanding.
They had watched Soul Fights for half their lives and thought they had seen every style of combat: powerful assault, agility assault, control, support, close-quarters brawling, long-range bombardment, wars of attrition, explosive battles.
But the battle before them ruthlessly ground every bit of their knowledge into the dirt.
"So strong!"
"What a bizarre fighting style!"
"They're too fast! My eyes can't keep up at all..."
At last, someone spoke, and more cries of astonishment followed.
"Say..."
"Where exactly did their Soul Rings come from?"
"That's right, where did the Soul Rings on them come from?"
"Could they be humans rebuilt from Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Transformations?"
"Definitely not. Su Mo's Martial Soul is a sword. Have you ever seen a sword Soul Beast?"
"Soul Beasts have already gone extinct. There's no way they obtained their Soul Rings by hunting Soul Beasts..."
"Could it be the Self-Condensed Soul Rings that Spirit Hall has been researching all this time?"
"No way, right?"
"Spirit Hall couldn't figure it out after all these years, but those two young people mastered it?"
"Other than that explanation, how else can you explain the Soul Rings on them?"
"Once the match ends, we have to ask them!"
"That's right, we have to ask them!"
"..."
After their shock subsided, the audience was no longer focused on the match. They were speculating about how Su Mo and Xiao Wu had acquired their Soul Rings, where they had come from, and whether they had truly condensed them themselves.
"Flender, how do you think they got their Soul Rings?"
In a corner of the stands, Zhao Wuji clenched his fists and asked Flender beside him.
"Though I hate to believe it, their Soul Rings were most likely condensed by themselves!"
"There is no other explanation!"
Flender spoke slowly.
As he said this, he inevitably thought of Yu Xiaogang from Spirit Hall. If Yu Xiaogang saw this scene, would he be happy or upset?
"Good, good, good!"
"Then that's wonderful!"
"I have to get the method for condensing Soul Rings out of them! I don't want to be trapped at Level 70 as a six-ring Soul Emperor for the rest of my life!"
The instant Zhao Wuji heard Flender's words, he cried out excitedly.
Flender said nothing. Wasn't he in the same situation?
That was why he was also so excited by Su Mo and Xiao Wu's appearance.
On the arena, Su Mo and Xiao Wu treated the fight as part of their daily training. Then, after a quarter of an hour, Su Mo's voice suddenly sounded amid an exchange of blows.
"That's enough."
"Mm!"
Their figures collided one final time, then they both leaped backward, landing at opposite ends of the Soul Fighting Platform.
Su Mo steadied himself, recalled the Blood Shadow Sword into his palm, and slowly withdrew his seven Soul Rings into his body.
Xiao Wu also sheathed her sword. The hem of her pink battle dress settled gently, her long hair slightly disheveled, yet her breathing remained steady.
Su Mo turned to the already dumbfounded host, his tone as calm as if he had just finished a stroll. "We'll stop here. This is enough."
The host opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. At last, he found his voice. "Th-this Soul Fight is a draw!"
"Su Mo! Su Mo!"
"Xiao Wu! Xiao Wu!"
The audience erupted into cheers.
"Su Mo, how did you get your Soul Rings?"
"That's right, esteemed Soul Saints, where did your Soul Rings come from?"
"Can you tell us? Please, we're begging you!"
"I've been stuck at Level 30 for ten years already!"
"Me too..."
"Esteemed Soul Saints..."
But after the cheering, the audience began shouting questions at Su Mo and Xiao Wu.
They desperately wanted to know where Su Mo and Xiao Wu's Soul Rings had come from.
Su Mo had expected this situation and was not flustered in the slightest.
The host, on the other hand, was drenched in sweat.
Su Mo beckoned to him, and the host hurriedly ran over.
"Give me the microphone!"
The host respectfully handed the microphone to Su Mo at once.
The audience immediately quieted down. No one made another sound.
Su Mo took the microphone and smiled as he spoke:
"Want to know where our Soul Rings came from?"
Before you continue